30 Days
by scottywotsit
Summary: .:30 Day OTP Drabble/One-Shot Challenge:. A chapter a day for one of my many OTPs, Henry and Edward, in a humanised 'Thomas and Friends' world. Day 1: Hands. Please read and review. Will eventually tie in to the humanised college AU I'm currently rewriting (but never uploaded) from two years ago. (Rated T as a precaution. May change to M.)
1. I: Hands

**Author's note: ... back again. Hi.**

 **I apologise for not keeping up with my promise from last year - college and life are bitches and have taken up most (if not all) of my time. In other news, I realised that I'm a human trashbag.**

 **Not sure whether that's a good thing or not.**

 **But, I'm back (hopefully for good this time), and I have a new story here for everyone to check out. It's a humanised _Thomas and Friends_ series of drabbles and one-shots, based off of the many OTP challenges I've seen throughout my time on the Internet, all revolving around my faves - Henry and Edward. Enjoy. :)**

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 **I: Hands**

 _Write something about your OTP and hands! Does your OTP study each other's hands? What is it about the other person's hands that is so interesting to your OTP?_

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Henry's hands have always fascinated him. They are large, rough and calloused in some places, from years of hard labour; in others (most notably his palms) they are soft and soothing, especially when Henry is rubbing comforting circles on his back. He enjoys watching Henry work; the way his hands move, the muscles shifting under his skin, the hairs that just grace the top of his hands from his wrists, his fingers – long, nimble but strong – they all fit together, like the pieces of a puzzle, and he loves to study that puzzle intricately.

Edward's hands have always interested him. Smaller than his own, slimmer and much more delicate, they are soft all over, except for his fingertips (from years of playing the guitar), which are just as calloused as his. The fine golden hairs on the back of his hands stand up on end in a gentle breeze; his skin, much more noticeably tan on his hands than anywhere else; his fingers, delicate, nimble, and slim, that tangle in his hair or stroke his chin when he is pondering something – it all blends together into another part of Edward that he loves.

They sit together on the sofa, sometimes watching TV, sometimes not, but always their hands are clasped between them. Henry's hands envelope Edward's, and he strokes his thumb over those fine golden hairs.

When they're lying in bed, Edward's left hand – the one that sports his wedding ring – always rests on Henry's chest, feeling the gentle _thump-thump_ of his heart beating. Henry's left hand tangles itself in Edward's hair, gently massaging his husband's scalp.

When Edward gets his guitar out, Henry always watches his hands – how the left moves along the fretboard, how the fingers of his right grip the plectrum and gently strum the strings.

When Henry is cooking dinner, Edward studies his hands – how they prepare the food, how the left can be mixing one thing while the right is measuring some other ingredients out.

Their hands fascinate one another. After all, they are very important to them. When Edward had accepted Henry's proposal, he had cupped his lover's face with one hand while the other reached up and tangled itself into Henry's long hair. When they had married, Henry's hands had settled on Edward's hips while pulling him in closer for a kiss, a dance, a hug.

Their hands leave invisible marks of love on their skin. And they wouldn't have it any other way.

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 **Please read and review. It would mean a lot to me to see some positive/constructive criticism that will help me improve my writing. Thank you.**

 **-the Author.**


	2. II: Feet

**Author's note: Day 2 - feet! Wow, I'm really keeping up with my chapter a day thing here - let's see if it continues! Enjoy. :)**

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 **II: Feet**

 _Same with hands, but this time with feet! Does one half of your OTP have cold feet when they're in bed together? Do they like to play footsies under the dinner table?_

* * *

Henry Stanier had never felt so nervous in his life.

Edward looked up at him, squeezing his hand gently in reassurance. They were stood outside, waiting for Edward's parents to arrive at the restaurant they were all dining at that evening. Henry looked distastefully at the cigarette hanging from his boyfriend's lips, and Edward snorted with laughter as Henry huffily crossed his arms. Edward glanced down the street, and smiled widely, quickly stubbing out his cigarette and throwing it away; his parents were walking towards them, smiling, and Edward felt Henry grab his hand again.

William and Audrey Pettigrew hugged their son eagerly, and Henry was surprised when Audrey spoke – her Australian accent was so strong! "Edward! How are you?"

Edward gently patted his mother's back, giving his father a pleading look. "I'm good, mum." He coughed, and added in a slightly strained voice, "Can you please let go now?"

Audrey let her son go, and turned to Henry; the taller man grinned anxiously – he could feel the sweat beading at his temples. "So," she said, as William and Edward embraced and then turned to Henry and Audrey. "You must be Henry. We've heard a lot about you."

Henry chuckled nervously. "Uh- oh, r-really?"

William stepped forward, smiling at his son's partner. He held out a hand, and Henry shook it. "It's nice to meet you," he said softly (he and Edward sounded very similar, Henry realised), and he started to relax. Edward stepped over, and put an arm around Henry's waist; the couple smiled at each other, and Henry looked back up at Edward's parents.

"It's nice to meet you too, sir."

Audrey suddenly sniffed, and asked indignantly, "Can anyone smell cigarette smoke?"

Henry opened his mouth to reply, but Edward stomped on his foot firmly, and instead managed to squeak, his eyes watering, "No…" He saw William give his son a look, and almost laughed, but Edward stomped on his foot again.

* * *

William and Audrey observed their son and his partner from across the table. They certainly seemed content in each other's company, and they didn't miss the adoring looks that Henry gave their second son when he thought no one was looking.

Henry gently placed his hand on Edward's thigh under the table, caressing it slowly and smiling at his lover. Edward responded in kind by rubbing his foot along the back of Henry's calf, giggling as Henry gave his thigh a squeeze. Henry wound his ankle around Edward's, and the couple continued to eat, missing the knowing looks Edward's parents gave each other.

"So," William started, and the couple looked up at Edward's parents, "what do you do for a living, Henry?"

"Oh." Henry was surprised – he thought his occupation would be the last thing William and Audrey would want to know at that point. "Well, I did a two year apprenticeship in roof thatching after college, rather than go to university like I'd planned, and then, once I'd earned a fair amount of money – enough to pay for my tuition fees, at any rate – I went into med school."

"Ah! So you're a doctor!" Audrey exclaimed. Henry shrugged.

"Sort of. I work in the local hospital on Sodor as head trauma nurse."

Audrey nodded, and Henry felt a little better; Edward gently rubbed the back of his leg with his foot again, and Henry caressed his thigh again. Audrey interlaced her fingers together. "So, how did you two meet?" she asked slyly.

Henry smirked down at Edward, and then looked back up at William and Audrey. "Well," he started, ignoring how Edward put pressure on his toes to get him to stop talking, "we first met when someone here crashed James' bike and broke his ankle." Edward groaned, putting his head in his hands and flushing bright red in embarrassment. "I was doing work experience in the hospital then, so we didn't really get a chance to talk. And then, a few weeks later, when my best friend Tom and I went into the college for a taster day, Eddie was the ambassador assigned to guide us around, so that was when we properly met." He squeezed Edward's thigh again, smiling at him. Edward sighed, and rested his head on Henry's shoulder, smiling at his parents.

* * *

The bus back to their hotel was practically empty; Henry and Edward took seats near the back, where they could stretch their legs out onto the other seats, and Henry wrapped an arm around Edward's shoulders. Edward rested his legs over Henry's, his right foot in between Henry's feet, and his partner pressed a kiss to the top of his head.

Later, when they were lying in bed, Edward curled into Henry's side, they tangled their legs together, trying to get as close to one another as they possibly could. Henry suddenly jumped as Edward's feet rubbed against his shins, and he whispered, "Your feet are freezing!" Edward said nothing, he just shivered and curled further into Henry. The taller man chuckled, and rubbed Edward's feet with his own, trying to warm them up. Eventually, the couple drifted off into sleep, their feet wrapped around each other and their legs intertwined.

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 **Please read and review. It would mean a lot to me to see some positive/constructive criticism that will help me improve my writing. Thank you.**

 **-the Author.**


	3. III: Shoulders

**Author's note: Thank you for the kind comments, Woolly wolf, Idorotthy09 and RetroCaboose! It's nice to see that people would like me to continue with what I'm doing – so your wish has come true! Day three is up!**

 **(Though I will admit – I was surprised that neither of you made the link between William and Audrey Pettigrew's first names. I'll just leave that as a hint… ;) Whoever guesses the link between their first names can have a virtual cookie, and maybe a special drawing of Henry and Edward from an upcoming chapter as a reward. There's your incentive! Good luck!)**

 **WARNING: There is a slight reference to sex in the chapter, but it's not overly obvious, so – for now – the rating will remain at T, until I see fit to change it because of mature content. Just letting you know.**

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 **III: Shoulders**

 _Shoulders! Everyone loves shoulders! Perfect place to rest your head when you're out in public and want to be closer to your partner! Does your OTP do this? What scenario can you imagine them in for this to work?_

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It started on the yearly anniversaries of their relationship; Edward and Henry never threw a big party, they didn't really celebrate with their friends at all – instead, they liked to take long walks through the park, just them two, holding hands and Edward resting his head on Henry's shoulder. They'd stop by the lake, feed the ducks and watch the swans, and then move on; they'd sit on a bench near the memorial statue, chatting idly but always enjoying each other's company, even if they didn't say anything.

On the six-year anniversary of their relationship, Edward's parents had refused to take no for an answer, and had thrown a big party for the couple at their home on Sodor. What Edward hadn't realised, however, was that Henry had planned the party with William, Audrey and their friends three months beforehand, as he had been planning to propose to his boyfriend on their next anniversary for nearly a year. When it went down without a hitch, James (who was the DJ at the party) had put a playlist of slow songs on, and while most of the couples at the party danced, Edward and Henry just sat on the hammock under the old oak tree, Edward's head on Henry's shoulder and Henry's arm around Edward's shoulders.

* * *

 _Edward and Henry sat on the hammock in their garden, watching the rest of the gathering dance and enjoy themselves. It felt a little alien, to be having such a big fuss made about their anniversary, but – Edward thought happily – it was with a good reason behind it, and he admired the ring that now adorned his left ring finger. It was a small, simple thing – silver, with small sapphires dotted around the larger aquamarine stone in the centre of the band. (Okay, maybe not so simple after all. It must have cost Henry a fortune…)_

 _The couple looked up as Tom and Lady sat in the garden chairs by the hammock, absolutely worn out from dancing for so long. They smiled at the newly-engaged couple, and Lady nodded to the ring. "So? What do you think?"_

 _Edward smiled at her, and then up at his boyfriend – his fiancé – butterflies fluttering in his stomach at the adoring look Henry gave him. He linked their hands together, and said quietly, "It's perfect." Henry kissed the top of his head, and Edward sighed, leaning on Henry's broad and muscular shoulder._

 _Later that evening, when everyone had left (except for William and Audrey, who were going to be staying with the couple until their flight back to Australia in a week), Henry and Edward lay together in bed, in the aftermath of making love – sweaty and naked and panting heavily, snuggled together as close as they could get. Edward tucked his head under Henry's chin, resting on his shoulder once more and his hand – the hand that now sported his engagement ring – resting on his fiancé's chest._

 _Their legs were naturally tangled together, and Henry hummed happily. Edward giggled, and pressed a kiss to the hollow of his throat, grinning at the sensation of Henry's voice vibrating through his skin. He looked up at his fiancé, and they kissed, their noses squished against each other's faces, and their bodies rubbing together deliciously. They parted, and Henry peppered a kiss to the tip of Edward's nose, chuckling and wrapping his arms around him. "I love you," he whispered, his deep voice rumbling in the air around them, and Edward sighed happily._

 _"I love you, too," he replied, nuzzling Henry's bearded cheek and settling back down to lying on his chest, head resting on his shoulder._

* * *

Later in life, Henry's shoulders are where their adopted twin boys (Bill and Ben) like to sit, to see things from high up, and Edward can't help but laugh when they stare in wonder at a world that normally towers above them and now may as well be at their feet. They continue with their tradition of taking leisurely strolls through the park on their relationship and wedding anniversaries, and Edward always rests his head on Henry's shoulder, keeping as close to his husband as he possibly can.

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 **Please read and review. It would mean a lot to me to see some positive/constructive criticism that will help me improve my writing. Thank you.**

 **-the Author.**


	4. IV: Scars

**Author's note: It's time for day four, and today, the topic is: scars!**

 **Thank you to RetroCaboose, Idorotthy09 and Woolly wolf for their new reviews, and thank you to a new reviewer, Acadia Arneson!**

 **Congrats, Acadia Arneson! You win a virtual cookie for guessing the link between William and Audrey Pettigrew's first names! They are a homage to the creator of the Railway Series, the Reverend William Awdry (our Lord and master)! The drawing prize will be done some time later this week!**

 **WARNING: mentions of self-harm, rape and childhood abuse. Please read with discretion.**

* * *

 **IV: Scars**

 _Does one member of your OTP have more scars than the other? Do they have stories behind them? Are they comfortable sharing those stories, or does it take them a while?_

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Henry has lots of scars. Why wouldn't he? After all, his roof thatching apprenticeship didn't come without its fair share of scrapes and falls. They're mostly little, tiny scars that aren't noticeable from a distance; some are a bit larger, like the one that spans his side from where a nasty fall landed him in hospital because of internal bleeding. But his biggest scar is the one that runs down the length of his upper right arm, starting in two separate lines from his shoulder to mid-bicep, and then joining into one as it reaches his elbow.

Henry has no qualms talking about this scar. He got it when he was fifteen years old – still in school – because of his sexuality. He had decided to come out to his mother, a devout Christian emigrated from Russia, his criminal step-father (also from Russia), and his abusive older brother Eric, just after his fifteenth birthday, and was promptly kicked out of the house. Eric had actually smashed a bottle of beer over his head, before dragging the jagged end down his arm and giving him the scar that Henry is happy to show, especially after Donald and Douglas McIntosh gave him the idea of getting a half-sleeve to go around it.

After the attack, he managed to struggle the three miles to Tom Billinton's house, where he collapsed on the doorstep, bleeding and exhausted. Two months later, his real father, Gerard Stanier, obtained full custody of Henry, and the teen moved in with his father and new step-mother and step-siblings, who all lived on the Island of Sodor.

You could argue that Henry has more scars, but they're scars on the surface. While Edward doesn't have nearly as many physical scars, his mental scars are so large and have taken so long to heal that he easily surpasses Henry in being the most scarred.

Edward's scars are mostly mental, though he has plenty on his forearms from years of depression and self-harm as a teenager. He also has a scar that splits his right eyebrow, after getting into a fight with a boy two years older than him who had been picking on his adopted brother James.

When he was fourteen years old, however, Edward was attacked within his own home. A cousin who had been staying over, a cousin who had always made Edward feel on edge and wary around him, had come into his bedroom one day and raped him so violently he hadn't been able to walk for nearly three months after. Thankfully, his brothers Richard and James had managed to rescue him before Blake Pettigrew could get away with the attack, but he was never the same afterward.

Eventually, his parents decided that the mental health care services in Australia weren't helping him, and they sent Edward to the Island of Sodor, where he could receive professional help. To keep him company, James transferred to a local school there, while Edward began home-schooling around his treatment. The results weren't instantaneous, but gradually, he started to get better; Edward started smiling more, felt comfortable around other people, and he was able to leave the house more, after he started walking again.

They both have scars. Their scars are a part of them, and there's nothing they can do to change that. Some days, Edward will have a panic attack because of something that triggered an automatic response. Sometimes, Henry feels a wild fit of rage coming over him, and he'll disappear into the gym in their basement to take his frustrations out on the punch bag. But always, they are there to support each other.

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 **Please read and review. It would mean a lot to me to see some positive/constructive criticism that will help me improve my writing. Thank you.**

 **-the Author.**


	5. V: Hearts

**Author's note: Thank you for coming back for day five – hearts! Cutting it close with this one – it's nearly five to eleven, I should be going to bed! (Doesn't mean I am, though... :P)**

 **One thing that I forgot to mention in the first chapter (or the author's note for the first chapter, at any rate) is that this is all going to tie in to the college AU I'm rewriting from years ago. And before anyone says,** ** _what college AU? I don't remember–_** **Well, I never uploaded it because I wasn't proud of what I was writing at the time. So there's a bit of context for y'all. :) (Hence the warning for the last chapter, with hints of Henry and Edward's backstories thrown into the writing there.)**

 **I hope you all enjoy this chapter – I feel like I poured my own heart and soul into this one, so hopefully it's good. Enjoy. :)**

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 **V: Hearts**

 _Does your OTP like to settle down to sleep (after sex or not is your decision) with one person resting their head over the other's heart? Is it reassuring to hear that beat against their ear? How does the person being laid on react when their partner does this?_

* * *

The first time they had shared a bed, Edward had been so exhausted after their hike from Wellsworth to Killdane that he had collapsed on top of Henry, immediately falling asleep on his chest, his head over his heart. Henry had thought nothing of it, and soon followed his boyfriend into the world of dreams. The next morning, Henry woke to find Edward having a panic attack, and that was the morning he found out the reason why Edward and James had been sent to Sodor in the first place.

The second time had taken some gentle coaxing on Henry's part. (" _Come on_ ," he'd said, giving Edward a sympathetic smile. " _I'll wear a T-shirt and put a pillow between us if it makes you feel better._ ") Edward had eventually relented, and Henry had kept to his side throughout the night, not complaining when Edward got up in the middle of the night to make himself a soothing mug of Horlicks. Sometime in the middle of the night, however, Edward had cautiously moved the pillow aside, hugging it tightly to his chest, and had rested his head over Henry's heart again.

The third time hadn't taken any coaxing at all; Henry had been woken up in the middle of the night, slumped over his laptop, by a furious pounding on his apartment's front door, only to find Edward outside, soaked to the bone and shivering madly. It was also the first time Henry and Edward ever shared a bed almost completely naked (though, of course, this was for medical purposes; Henry was trying to stop his boyfriend from developing hypothermia, after all). Henry had pulled Edward on top of him, wrapping them both up in the duvet tightly and using his body heat to keep Edward warm, and they had fallen asleep, Edward with his head over Henry's heart again.

The fourth time they had slept in the same bed together was also the first time they ever made love. (At this point, Edward had moved in with Henry, the latter having a bigger apartment than Edward and James did living together.) Henry had been so nervous, not wanting to hurt Edward now that he knew his history, but Edward had chuckled and said that he was okay, if a little apprehensive, but ready to move on from his past. The night that had proceeded had been one of the best nights they'd experienced in each other's company. After they had wound down from the euphoric feelings of becoming one and the same, they had settled down to sleep, but this time, Henry was curled protectively over Edward, his ear resting above his heart, hearing that reassuring and steady beat that meant he was still there.

You'll often find Henry and Edward embracing in some way, if they're not previously occupied, and always Edward will have his head over Henry's heart, smiling and listening to the soft _thu-thump_ that has become his mantra, his reason to live.

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 **Please read and review. It would mean a lot to me to see some positive/constructive criticism that will help me improve my writing. Thank you.**

 **-the Author.**


	6. VI: Books

**Author's note: Thank you for the reviews, guys! Day six, and we are onto my favourite topic: books! I hope you enjoy this one!**

 **In terms of the college AU: realistically, it probably won't be written until I'm done with college myself, which is less than two months away (17** **th** **of June, to be exact), by which point I will have hopefully drafted most of the chapters and it will then just be a case of writing them up on the computer. The first chapter will probably be uploaded sometime in July, as I'm also invigilating for some of the exams at my old school throughout May and June as part of my work experience (though I'm actually getting paid for it, too). I'll let you all know a rough date as to when that will be in the author's note of day thirty. :)**

 **Once again, thank you for the reviews, everyone! I'm really chuffed with how well this is turning out, and I'm glad you're all liking this story and these chapters. So, without further ado, day six: books! Enjoy. :)**

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 **VI: Books**

 _Does your OTP like to read together? If they have, or are going to have, children, do they read to them to send them to sleep every night? Does one person read to the other when they're sick? What kind of books do they like?_

* * *

Henry never had the experience as a kid where his parents would read to him to send him to sleep. It was mainly because his step-father hated his guts, but also because his mother couldn't read the books that Henry read, because he was the only member of the family who was fluent in English, despite having been raised in a Russian household. (Thanks to the persistence of Tom and his teachers, as well as his own determination to be fully bilingual, he mastered the English language very quickly, and at age six was able to listen to, speak, read and write in fluent English, no longer needing an interpreter in class to translate into Russian for him.) It was part of the reason why he was so eager to read to his younger step-siblings on his actual father's side – to have that experience for himself.

Edward's childhood was filled with books; he preferred to sit in his room on his own, engrossed in a book, fictional or factual. His parents would constantly read to him when he was a small boy, and when he and James moved to Sodor his younger brother continued the tradition by reading the emails from their parents, friends and other family (who had all supported Edward throughout the court case against Blake) out loud to him. When his mental scars started to heal, he found respite in bookshops like he had done as a child, whittling away the hours sitting on a sofa towards the back of the store with a novel in his lap, his temporary wheelchair parked beside him and the books he was going to buy or reserve that day stacked on the seat. One of the workers there (who happened to be Henry's step-mother) was very fond of him, and always helped him carry his books to the till, and sometimes even carried the bag full of books back to his and James' apartment when Edward wanted some company.

When Henry and Edward met, they bonded over their love of books; they proceeded to spend many days sat in the library when Henry started attending college, helping each other with their essays and discussing their favourite stories.

They'd had their first kiss in the bookstore Henry's step-mother worked in, when they got caught under the mistletoe. When they married, Henry encouraged Edward to start writing his own books after reading some of the stories he wrote in his earlier teenage years to cope with his depression.

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 **Please read and review. It would mean a lot to me to see some positive/constructive criticism that will help me improve my writing. Thank you.**

 **-the Author.**


	7. VII: Games

**Author's note: And here comes the period of time where I can't come up with any ideas for chapters… ugh.**

 **Thank you for coming back for day seven; today, the topic is games! Enjoy. :)**

* * *

 **VII: Games**

 _How often does your OTP play games? What kind of games do they like to play? Puzzle games or first-person shooters? Do they play together or against each other? How competitive are they? Is one of them a sore loser?_

* * *

"You lose."

"No…"

"Henry, you lost."

" _No_ , I didn't. _You_ cheated."

Edward smiled. "I was able to checkmate you because _you_ left yourself open. I win."

Henry glowered down at the chess board between himself and his husband, knowing that Tom, James and Toby were sniggering from somewhere in the background. He turned his glare to the chess pieces he had lost and were now on Edward's side of the board, facing him like they were staring at him woefully. He growled, and stood up, stomping into the kitchen.

Edward stared after Henry, worrying at his bottom lip slightly, but Tom just snorted and said from the sofa, "Don't worry, Ed. Henry's _always_ been a sore loser."

"I'M _NOT_ A SORE LOSER!" Henry roared from the kitchen, sending James into peals of laughter. Toby and Tom both sniggered again; Edward started to pack up the chess board, putting the pieces in their respective bags and resting the board on top of them once they were all in the box. He put the box away, and followed his husband into the kitchen.

Henry was leaning against the kitchen counter, glaring at the floor and a bottle of cider in one hand. Edward moved over to him, and gently wrapped his arms around his waist, looking up at Henry with a smile. He gave him a quick squeeze, and tucked his head under Henry's chin; Edward heard his husband chuckle, felt him wrap his arms around his waist, press a kiss to the top of his head. Edward sighed happily, snuggling closer to Henry, breathing deeply and inhaling his scent.

The couple looked at each other after a few moments, smiling at one another fondly. "Hey," Edward said gently, giving Henry another quick squeeze. "It's okay if you're a sore loser. I'm a sore loser too, you know."

Henry raised an eyebrow. "Really? What at?"

"Sudoku."

Henry snorted, and leaned down with a smirk, giving Edward a kiss that left them both with flushed cheeks. Edward snatched Henry's bottle of cider, and took a generous swig, chuckling as Henry exclaimed indignantly, " _Oi_ ," and gave his butt a playful slap.

Later, when everyone had left, Henry and Edward were cuddling on the sofa, Edward playing a quick game of Sudoku on his phone; Henry smirked as he heard Edward curse softly. "Sudoku, huh?" Edward scowled at the puzzle grid on his phone, and Henry plucked the device out of his husband's hands, putting it on the coffee table and pressing Edward down into the sofa. The couple looked at each other, and Henry kissed Edward deeply, drawing back and whispering teasingly, " _Checkmate_." Edward just whined, and pulled his husband back down into another kiss that would eventually lead to more… though that's a story for another time.

* * *

 **Please read and review. It would mean a lot to me to see some positive/constructive criticism that will help me improve my writing. Thank you.**

 **-the Author.**


	8. VIII: Food

**Author's note: This one took a while, pondering on what the basic storyline for this chapter/prompt would be, but I'm glad it did – it's helped me figure out a major part of Henry and Edward's story for the possible (aka most-likely-to-happen) sequel to the college AU, where I explore their lives as a couple after college and onwards! (Hence why I'm posting this in the early hours of the morning after it was supposed to go up, rather than going up last night. Whoops.)  
**

 **In case anyone was interested, this was the kind of cake Edward was making for BoCo's birthday:**

 **cdn . cakecentral b / bd / 900x900px-LL-bdd10a03_gallery8383241311704426 . jpeg**

 **I hope you all like this chapter! Enjoy. :)**

 _ **Отeц** **– father (translated from Russian).**_

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 **VIII: Food**

 _Admission time – is one person a foodie? Or do they like to bake for stalls at fetes? Is the other person a good or bad cook? How often has your OTP tried to cook dinner together without it ending in an impromptu food fight? Does your OTP make each other breakfast in bed?_

* * *

Henry watches Edward work, smiling as his husband whisks the batter for his latest cake furiously, sniggering when some of it flicks out of the bowl and lands on Edward's cheeks and forehead. Edward says nothing, and just gives the whisk a flick in his direction with a cheeky smile, chuckling and leaning in to lick the batter off of Henry's nose. Henry smirks, and quickly gives Edward a kiss, dipping a finger into the batter without his partner noticing and swiping it down Edward's cheek in retaliation.

They're not sure who started the impromptu batter war after that, but Edward ends up spending an extra three hours on the cake for their friend BoCo's birthday.

After the kitchen has been tidied and the cake put in an airtight container, ready for the party the next day, Edward and Henry are lying in bed, cuddled together and being respectfully silent, when Edward muses, "Today made me realise something."

Henry hums sleepily, giving his husband a gentle squeeze. "Oh? And what's that?"

"We should have a baby."

Henry opens his eyes, blinks twice, and then looks at Edward with a frown. "Okay, first of all: where did this come from? And second, you do realise the physical impossibility of that, right?"

Edward turns over to look at Henry, and flicks the end of his nose. Henry quietly mutters, " _Ow_ ," as Edward says with a smile, "I _know_ that, but… I'm serious, we should have a baby."

"Physically imposs– _ow_! Stop flicking my nose!" Henry moaned, looking at his husband reproachfully. Edward sniggers.

"You don't have to keep telling me it's physically impossible, everyone knows that. But we could adopt…" Edward looks at Henry nervously, unsure of how his husband would react to his suggestion once it really sunk in.

Henry looks at Edward, and then a large smile breaks across his face. "You're serious? You think we should adopt?" He laughs, and adds, "I wondered when you were going to bring this up – I've been dropping subtle hints for _months_!"

Edward chuckles, folding his arms and leaning on Henry's chest. "Clearly too subtle. I didn't pick up on them." He pauses, and then says in a quieter, meeker voice, "I didn't think you wanted children…"

Henry pulls Edward on top of him with a broad smile. "Are you kidding? Nothing would make me happier! I want this, I want to have kids with you, Eddie!" He presses a long, sweet kiss to Edward's lips, smiling wider as Edward groans and kisses him back.

Two weeks later, they are visiting the local orphanage, and the children crowd around them ( _well_ , Henry muses, _around Edward – he is, after all, a well-known children's author…_ ), but two little boys stand out to them both; small in size, with heavily freckled faces and mops of strawberry-blonde hair on their heads, they are almost completely identical, except for the birthmark on the right temple of one of the boys.

Henry crouches down in front of them, and they look at him nervously; they've never been confronted or approached by someone as tall and as broad as Henry before. "Hey," he says softly. "Who are you two, then?"

The boy with the birthmark – presumably the older of the two – smiles timidly, and says shyly, "I'm Bill. This is Ben."

Henry smiles, hearing Edward move and stand behind him as the other children play all around them. He leans forward a little, and says in a stage whisper, "Do you like food fights?" The mischievous glint that appears in the twins' eyes says everything for them, and the couple continues to visit them for another three months before they decide to adopt them.

The boys settle into their new home relatively quickly, and many more food fights erupt over Edward's unfinished baking; Bill and Ben love to help their father with cooking, and enjoy playtime with their _отец_. On Father's Day, without fail, they bring their new parents breakfast in bed with wobbling hands (the tray is always a little heavy for them), like Henry has done so many times before for his husband.

They like to cause a lot of mischief, and the only other person besides Henry and Edward who can get them to behave is BoCo, who Henry and Edward decide to name the boys' godfather after he gets them to behave at Tom and Lady's first wedding anniversary party.

At the end of the day, when it's not term time, you will find Bill and Ben tucked up in bed, completely exhausted after a day running their fathers (dad and _отец_ ) ragged. But Henry and Edward don't regret anything, because they know that on a Saturday morning, completely by choice on the boys' part, they will be 'surprised' with a hearty breakfast in bed (a full English, even though neither of them are _actually_ English), and Bill and Ben will crawl into bed with them to watch early morning cartoons on Henry's laptop.

All in all, Henry muses happily, he's glad that a food fight turned into the best decision of their lives, and he lets Ben snuggle into his side cheerily, whilst Bill does the same to Edward.

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 **Please read and review. It would mean a lot to me to see some positive/constructive criticism that will help me improve my writing. Thank you.**

 **-the Author.**


	9. IX: Drinks

**Author's note: Thank you to a new reviewer, Estella Tweak! Your lovely review, as well as Idorotthy09's, gave fuel to my creative fire (so to speak, haha), and allowed me to get this next chapter written! Today, we'll be covering drinks (mostly of the non-alcoholic persuasion)! Enjoy. :)**

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 **IX: Drinks**

 _What kinds of beverages do your OTP like? Do they like to go drinking together or separately, with friends? Does one person hate something the other constantly drinks, i.e. tea? Do they like to make a mug of hot cocoa before bed for their kids (or themselves)?_

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The couple like to start their morning with a nice mug of coffee – Henry takes his black, as it's the only way to wake him up in time for a long day at work as head trauma nurse, whilst Edward lavishes his with cream, froth and chocolate powder, ever the artist. They chat idly over their individual coffees, sometimes on opposite sides of the breakfast bar, and Henry likes to lean over and kiss his husband by surprise, if only to have an excuse to get rid of the cream on his top lip. They then agree on a time to meet up when Henry's finished with his shift – though it is all dependant on whether an emergency comes into A&E at the last minute or not – and Henry grabs the right mugs off of the mug tree for Bill and Ben's morning hot cocoa before he leaves.

Edward, as an author, gets to work from home, which means that he has easy access to all the drinks he could want that are in the kitchen, if Bill and Ben haven't depleted his supply of soft drinks and fruit squash first. If that is the case, however, it gives him an excuse to take Bill and Ben out into Wellsworth and go grocery shopping, and Bill and Ben like to sit on the platform and watch the engines go by, maybe chat with the station master (who is a good friend of their parents) while their father sneaks a cheeky cigarette outside the station.

Henry has a much harder time, however; as many accident victims come in all the time, he barely gets any time to get anything other than a bottle of water from a vending machine; sometimes, he's lucky enough to get a bit of a break and go to the cafeteria for another coffee and some lunch, but most of the time he has to sneak away while filing paperwork to grab a packet of crisps and an apple from the staff room in his ward. This makes him grouchy, but he's always cheered by the thought of meeting up with his husband after work.

When Edward and the boys have come back home, they are usually visited by BoCo, who takes his godsons off of Edward's hands for a few hours so that he can get on with his work. Edward is immensely thankful for this, and fills his afternoon with writing, drafting ideas, doodling and consuming lots of tea (something that Henry hates - he can't explain why, but the idea of drinking any kind of tea other than instant fruit tea makes his stomach turn).

Henry, after a long shift at the big hospital in Knapford, likes to walk to the pub with Tom, who also works at the hospital (though he's an anaesthetist for surgeries, rather than a trauma nurse), and they have a pint before Tom heads off home, back to his wife. Henry then waits in the pub for about fifteen minutes, before his husband arrives and sits next to him at the bar, ordering himself a gin and tonic and turning to Henry, smiling. They kiss, and proceed to chat about their days.

When they've left the pub and come back home, they always take a moment to make sure that Bill and Ben are tucked up in bed, asleep, and then they head back down to the kitchen; Henry makes himself a nice warm mug of cocoa to wind down, while Edward makes a mug of Horlicks, and they cuddle in the kitchen for a bit. Sometimes, their drinks are forgotten as they get lost in the moment, taking any amount of peace and quiet to reconnect and tell each other how much they missed the other while they were working; sometimes this then proceeds to something more, but most of the time they just kiss, nuke their drinks for thirty seconds, quickly finish them and head up to bed.

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 **Please read and review. It would mean a lot to me to see some positive/constructive criticism that will help me improve my writing. Thank you.**

 **-the Author.**


	10. X: Toys

**Author's note: Please don't flat-line, RetroCaboose! I don't think I'd be able to handle it if you died because of Henry and Edward being darlings. *chortles* Ahem… thank you for coming back for day ten, and today is all about toys! *crickets chirping* No… not** ** _those_** **kinds of toys. I mean souvenir teddy bears and the like. Don't be so dirty-minded. (I'm such a hypocrite, ha…) Enjoy! :)**

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 **X: Toys**

 _Can be taken in any direction, but generally intended to be SFW (safe for work) – does one half of your OTP like to collect toys? Do they have a whole collection of stuffed animals lying around in a box, waiting to be unpacked and played with once more? Or are they souvenirs of your OTP's travels?_

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The spare bedroom in their house is used as a storage room, as the attic is not big enough to contain everything they own as well as their Christmas and Hanukkah decorations. In this storage room are large boxes, filled with copies of old family photo albums, VHS tapes, and even an old cassette player. One box contains all the journals Edward wrote when he was a child. But one of the biggest contains all the toys the couple have collected on their travels.

One day, Henry pulls this box out of the storage room, and drags it into the room that is being converted into a bedroom for the two boys, Bill and Ben, that the couple are adopting. Edward is already in the room, wearing his scruffiest clothes and wobbling on the step-ladder as he papers the wall. He looks over his shoulder, and smiles as Henry puts the box down on the frame for Bill's bed. Once he's certain that the paper will stay on the wall and not roll down, he steps down from the ladder and joins his husband by the bed.

They open the box eagerly, and are immediately greeted with the sight of several teddy bears and stuffed animals from their honeymoon in Rome. Edward giggled as he picked up one and remembered how they had gotten it.

 _Henry and Edward were walking past the Fountain of Trevi, Henry's arm wrapped around Edward's shoulders, and they were chatting and reading from the guidebook that they'd bought. Henry's feet ached and Edward was out of breath, so they sat down by the fountain and gazed at the spectacular sight in front of them._

 _Suddenly, an African man appeared in front of them, holding a crate of teddy bears and looking a little worse for wear. "Good evening, sirs," he said in a chirpy, heavily-accented voice. "Could I interest you in a bear?" Henry and Edward glanced at one another, and then down at the massive bag of souvenirs that they already had. It was almost overflowing with boxes and rolled up posters and folded clothes; Henry had changed his old hat for a new snapback cap with ROMA embroidered into the front, whilst Edward had pulled a large and baggy A.S. Roma football jersey over the top of his roll-sleeve T-shirt._

 _"Uh…" Henry was lost for words. "Um… I think we've got enough, thanks."_

 _"No-no!" the man insisted, and then glanced down at their hands. His eyes gleamed in joy at the sight of the two golden wedding rings on their left ring fingers. "Ah! You two are on honeymoon?"_

 _"Yes," Edward said quickly, as Henry hesitated, "we are."_

 _"Say no more!" The man quickly put his box down, and rummaged around in his backpack for a moment, before extracting another bear from its depths; the cute little T-shirt it was wearing had the words, "ROMA LOVES YOU," embroidered on it, and the hearts that made up the O's were coloured in the stripes of the LGBT flag. He pressed the bear into Henry's hand, ignoring the larger man's surprised spluttering, and picked his box back up. "Take it! You are on honeymoon, this is a gift from Rome to you! Enjoy yourselves!"_

 _He left without another word; Henry and Edward stared after him, and then down at the bear in Henry's hand. Edward gently picked it up, and beamed. "Gotta admit, it is kind of cute."_

 _Henry grumbled, but he smiled, too._

Riffling through the box some more, Edward and Henry take out some of the stuffed animals, and put them in another box, ready to be arranged on the twins' beds. The ones that are left in the box are moved back into the storage room, except for the bear wearing the ROMA LOVES YOU T-shirt, which Edward puts on his desk, as a constant reminder of their wonderful honeymoon in Rome.

When Bill and Ben arrive home with Henry and Edward two weeks later, they are delighted at the sight of their room, and instantly take several of the stuffed animals from their beds and start playing with them on the floor of their room, and Henry and Edward watch happily from the doorway. Later, when they are tucking their sons into bed, they gather them up tight in their arms, hold them close, and whisper, "I love you," into their ears, and the boys go to sleep, content and each hugging a stuffed teddy bear to their chests.

Edward and Henry lay in bed later that night, Henry reading and Edward completing a crossword puzzle. Edward turns to his husband when they've both put their books away, and leans up, engaging Henry in a long, needy kiss that makes the taller man groan and press Edward down into the mattress. They break apart, and smile. "I love you," Edward whispers, and Henry smiles, kissing the hollow of Edward's throat and hearing him moan in agreement.

"I love you, too," he replies, leaning over his husband and kissing him again, and the night ends in a sweaty heap of tangled limbs, wrapped tightly around each other, and the couple drift off to the land of dreams, holding each other tightly as the stuffed bear from the kind African man in Rome watches over them, like a guardian.

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 **Please read and review. It would mean a lot to me to see some positive/constructive criticism that will help me improve my writing. Thank you.**

 **-the Author.**


	11. XI: Home

**Author's note: Apologies for not getting this one out yesterday, when it should have been posted. As a reward and apology for having to wait an extra day for this chapter, you'll be getting days eleven and twelve on the same day! Day 11 is going home, literally. Enjoy! :)**

 **Side note: I actually created Henry and Edward's home (Wellsworth Cottage) on The Sims 4, and am going to set up a side blog on Tumblr for the pair so that you can see screenshots, drawings and more stories of their lives through other media! Let me know if you'd like to see that, and I'll put the link in my bio (once I get around to updating it)!**

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 **XI: Home**

 _How does your OTP act when they are at home? Were they always so comfortable around each other – naturally hitting it off – or did it take some getting used to, living with a romantic partner? How long did it take for them to call the place they live home?_

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 **Edward's P.O.V:**

Home. There's not really an accurate way to describe it. I like to summarise it in a list of feelings that the idea of home gives me. In fact, let's do that right now. Go on – take a moment to come up with a list of emotions that you feel when you think of home.

Got one? Here's mine: _content_ ; _loved_ ; _happy_ ; _trusted_ ; _joyful_ ; _respected_.

For the first thirteen years of my life, that was exactly how I felt at the place I called home in Perth, Australia. Until I was fourteen, I felt content, loved, happy and respected. It was never the same after my cousin Blake attacked me; and so, the next place I called home was the apartment myself and my brother James shared when we moved to Sodor as part of my treatment. It was also in that apartment complex, three (nearly four) years later that I would meet my future husband – though of course I didn't know that.

For some reason, when I moved in with Henry after two years of dating, his apartment never quite felt like home. I don't know why – but something within me made me reject the idea of embracing that apartment as my home.

Completely by surprise, our friends pulled together in a collaborative effort to make something for us we never expected – they planned, blueprinted, and built a house on a plot of land near Wellsworth station, and gave us the keys on our four-year anniversary. It would have been unfortunate if Henry and I had split up and our friends had gone to all this trouble, but being as in love with my husband as I am, I don't think that's a possibility that could become reality.

We soon moved in to the house, affectionately named by the locals as Wellsworth Cottage – though it was anything but a cottage, it was larger than we anticipated; in fact, it was more like a manor, with an entrance hall, a hallway with the staircase leading up to the first floor, a joint living and dining room (separated only by a half-wall), the kitchen adjacent to the dining room, three separate studies, a games room on the first floor, two balconies (one leading off of the study and the other from the master bedroom and en-suite bathroom), two spare bedrooms (the one on the first floor that would become Bill and Ben's room, and the second in the basement, used for storage), a pool room and gym adjacent to the storage room in the basement, as well as a second games room and the third study, with two other small toilets for use after being in the gym or pool.

It still amazes us that our friends were able to afford to do this, but then – as they keep telling us, and with a lot of grumbling from Gordon and Tom – Gordon's family money and Tom's extensive paycheque paid for most of the costs.

Wellsworth Cottage was probably the best thing to happen to us, in terms of our relationship, and Henry made me even happier when he proposed in our back garden at the surprise party for our six-year anniversary. At that point, I knew I was going to spend the rest of my life with this man – this man that made me feel so happy, content and loved, three of the emotions I listed at the beginning.

Adopting Bill and Ben, after two years of married life, was the next best thing to happen to us; they've made us so proud, even if they can be little tykes at times (though I know that's not the language Henry would use to describe them, it's all in jest). Three years on, and I can safely say that I feel much more at home now than I ever did in Australia. The nightmares of my ordeal at fourteen have almost completely faded now; the scars are still there, I still have panic attacks if I'm confronted with one of my triggers, but I have a loving husband and two wonderful sons who help me get through the nightmares.

And, as I lay ensconced in Henry's arms after an exhausting hike from Wellsworth to Ffarquhar and back, I think to myself, there's no place I'd rather be, than here with my husband and sons, in a house that was a labour of time and love, and I am content, happy, joyful at the possibilities the future will bring us, respected, trusted, and – most important of all – I am loved.

I am home.

* * *

 **Please read and review. It would mean a lot to me to see some positive/constructive criticism that will help me improve my writing. Thank you.**

 **-the Author.**


	12. XII: Caravan

**Author's note: And here, as promised, is today's second chapter – day twelve, and we're going caravanning! Enjoy! :)**

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 **XII: Caravan**

 _How often does your OTP like to stay in a caravan over a tent, hotel or bed-and-breakfast? Do they have their own caravan, or do they go to a specialised caravan park to stay in one there? Do they prefer caravanning in the summer over any other time of the year?_

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The glorious smell of pancakes wafts throughout the caravan, and it manages to rouse his sleepy husband and two overly energetic sons; Edward smiles as Henry plods into the kitchen area, sits down heavily on the nearby sofa, and is promptly tackled by Bill and Ben, who are eager for morning cuddles. The family of four don't often stay in a caravan – Henry and Ben, who have bonded over their love of the outdoors, prefer camping to caravanning – but Henry's recent bout of ill health has meant that camping would not be advisable, and his colleague at the hospital in Knapford suggested staying in a caravan if they really wanted to get away for a bit.

Henry ruffles the twins' hair affectionately, and squeezes them to his chest, even though he wheezes as he breathes and his chest audibly rattles. Edward gives his shoulder a reassuring squeeze, presses a chaste kiss to his cheek, and Henry turns, pulls him in for a kiss on the lips, even as Bill and Ben groan in mild disgust and Bill crows, "Eww, dad! Отeц," and Ben cackles with laughter in agreement.

Later in the day, the four leave the caravan to explore the rest of the caravan park. Bill and Ben immediately took off for the play area, where other children their age were playing on the climbing frame. They eagerly join in, and Henry and Edward watch from the side-lines, standing with the other parents who watch their children with hawk-like eyes. One mother turns to strike up conversation with the two fathers, but notices the wedding rings on their fingers and how close they are stood together, and turns away with a mild shiver of disgust.

Henry chuckles, and whispers in his husband's ear weakly, "Well, if there's one thing I didn't expect to find here, it was homophobia." Edward chuckles, too, and the two proceed to stand closer together, even linking hands at one point, and Edward rests his head on Henry's shoulder.

The homophobic mother calls her child over, who has been eagerly chatting with Bill and Ben, and she says scathingly to Henry and Edward, within earshot of her son, as well as Bill and Ben, "Let's just hope those two poor boys don't catch gay off of you."

Henry and Edward scowl, but Bill and Ben answer for them. Affronted, they snap at her, "You can't catch gay! Love is love, why can't people like you accept that?" Stunned, the mother just stares at the two boys, before her son drags her away by the hand, mouthing an apology to his new friends and their parents over his shoulder. The other parents and children applaud Bill and Ben for speaking up, and for the rest of the afternoon, the twins are hailed as heroes for standing up against homophobia at such young ages.

When they return to their caravan, the boy from earlier (Henry and Edward soon learn that his name is Charlie) is standing outside, waiting patiently for the family to return. He smiles when he sees Bill and Ben, and says, amazed, "That was incredible, what you two did. I'm sorry about my mother," he adds to the fathers; they smile, accepting his apology, and Bill and Ben invite him in for dinner. Charlie agrees, and after dinner stumbles back to his own caravan with his belt one notch looser and feeling very full and content.

After Bill and Ben have been tucked in and have settled down to sleep, Henry and Edward sit on the picnic bench outside the awning for their caravan, Henry's arm around his husband's shoulders and the night lit by the end of Edward's cigarette. Edward stubs his cigarette out, and leans into his husband's embrace. "Well," he said softly, making Henry smile, even as his nose wrinkles when the stench of cigarette smoke wafts his way, "today was certainly interesting." Henry hums in agreement, pressing a kiss to the top of Edward's head, and the two parents rise from the bench, heading back into the caravan and falling asleep before their heads even hit the pillows.

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 **Please read and review. It would mean a lot to me to see some positive/constructive criticism that will help me improve my writing. Thank you.**

 **-the Author**


	13. XIII: Tent

**Author's note: This one probably won't appear as an update to the story till tomorrow (which, for people reading this, is their today), because I completely forgot about it. Because, goddamn it, I came up with a** ** _Mamma Mia!_** **AU for Henry and Edward. *huff* Whoops.**

 **Not as pleased with this one, as I did admittedly rush it a bit, but I feel happy about getting it out for you to read. Anyways, here is day 13, and today we're going properly camping! Tents! Enjoy. :)**

 **Slight warning for the end – not explicit, just mentioned. Thank you.**

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 **XIII: Tent**

 _(Slightly NSFW toward the end.) Similar to the previous one, but with tents, instead. Has your OTP ever gone camping? Do they go camping with their friends and/or family? Do they ever take their kids camping? Have they ever had sex in a tent before?_

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The first time they went camping, Henry was celebrating leaving college with the rest of their friends from his year group (Edward had been in the year above them, and had already gone through these celebrations); they had borrowed tents from Henry's father and Tom's parents, and had gone camping in a field between Wellsworth and Ffarquhar.

Plenty of drinks later and rowdy celebrations aside, many had gone into the cover of the woods or the privacy of the tents, to fumble, inexpert, while Henry, Edward, Tom and Lady remained by the fire, slightly more sober than the rest of their friends and preferring to stay next to a warm fire than disappear into the cool night.

Henry looked over his shoulder, to see two shadows moving awkwardly in his tent. He narrowed his eyes, and a moment later, James and Emily emerged from the tent, looking a little ruffled, though their clothes were not particularly dishevelled. Tom opened his mouth to ask what the pair were looking for, but Henry already knew. "No."

James looked crestfallen. "Come on, man, just a little? You rarely come across such high quality vodka in England–"

"James, no. You're not having my vodka. It's a birthday present."

Tom pretended to look bashful. "Henry, you didn't have to," he teased, and Edward, Emily and Lady laughed; Tom was the only one out of their close-knit circle of friends who hadn't yet turned eighteen (minus Percy, who was in the year below them).

The second time they went camping was just after Henry was accepted into med school, alongside Tom, and they decided to celebrate alone first, away from the public eye. Edward snuggled into his boyfriend's chest, gently stroking the dark, fine hairs that stood up on end at the action. They were sharing a sleeping bag, not having anticipated the change in the weather, and the rain pelted the canvas around them. Henry smiled, pulling Edward further into his embrace.

"You know," he said conversationally, and Edward looked up at him with a smile. "I still have some cider left over that's even better when it's mulled. We could heat it over the gas stove."

Edward hummed in agreement; mulled cider sounded like a great idea at that moment.

When they adopted Bill and Ben after turning thirty and twenty-nine respectively, the family went on many more camping adventures, trekking across Sodor and exploring the different camping locations on the island, going to other countries and camping in the wild. (Their most notable trip was definitely camping in the outback of Australia; seeing Edward so at home in the wild landscape around them, despite having grown up in Perth, made Henry happy to see his husband enjoying being back in the country that his attack occurred.)

They continue to go camping as a family, unless Henry's health has to dictate otherwise for them, and Henry can't count the amount of times Tom has walked in on himself and his husband in a compromising position in their tent when they're all camping together. All he knows is – it's a lot.

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 **Please read and review. It would mean a lot to me to see some positive/constructive criticism that will help me improve my writing. Thank you.**

 **-the Author**


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